


Bees and the Beach: The Bee-ginning

by Kiiratam



Series: Bees and the Beach [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Bumbleby Week 2019, Canon Compliant, F/F, Fluff, Weiss suffers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-18
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2020-07-07 17:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19856464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiiratam/pseuds/Kiiratam
Summary: The Bees ride Bumblebee to a secret beach, but it's not as secret as Yang might hope. A picnic ensues, and Blake tries a Strawberry Sunrise. There are probably no surprise proposals.Takes place between Volumes 1 and 2. (My BMBLB fic index)Written for Bumbleby Week 2019, day 3: Proposal/Wedding.





	Bees and the Beach: The Bee-ginning

Yang Xiao Long pulled Bumblebee to a stop on the side of the coast road south of Beacon. "Well, that's not good."

  
Behind her, Blake Belladonna let go of her friend and leaned back in the seat. "That is a lot of cars for a secret beach, Yang."

  
"I mean, it's a beach. Can't hide an entire shoreline. Except with secret ninja magic." She turned back to look at her passenger.

  
Blake smiled as her friend referred a pivotal plot point in _Ninjas of Love III: Crouching Panther, Hidden Eel_. "I haven't learned any yet. How about you?"

  
Yang laughed. "Did you see that video about someone trained in ninjitsu trying to replicate the hand motions the book describes? I think my hands would fall off. Plus, I see myself more as an oni than a ninja. 'Yang smash!' I can handle that. You're supposed to be the ninja."

  
"Well, this ninja wants to know if you think we should still check it out. We did drive for over an hour." _And my legs are sore._

  
Yang shrugged. "Well, I don't know any other picturesque places to have a picnic around here, so we can at least check it out. You'll just have to pretend that no one else is there. You wanna get off?"

  
"Yeah, sure." Blake swung herself off Bumblebee, and removed her helmet. "I still can't believe everyone else cancelled on us." _It's **really** suspicious, Yang. Are you planning something?_

  
Dismounting herself, Yang pulled her own helmet off, setting it across the handlebars. "Yeah, it's weird. But it is the first real weekend we've had since the weather got nice."

  
"I mean, Ruby was tinkering with Crescent Rose, Weiss 'had a prior engagement'," Blake supplied air quotes, but resisted casting her voice in a snooty, upper-class tone. "Nora and Ren went backpacking, Pyrrha got ambushed by those Pumpkin Pete's advertisers wanting to do a new photoshoot, and Jaune- what happened to Jaune?"

  
Yang laughed. "You weren't there for that? One of his sisters came to Beacon, and literally picked him up shrieking about how glad she was to see 'little Jauney.'"

  
Blake pulled a face. "I'm glad I don't have any siblings."

  
"Oh, come on, Ruby isn't anywhere near that bad. I think Jaune's sister just got excited. The humiliation will wear off. It's Jaune, he bounces back." Yang lowered her aviators, looking down them at Blake. "You don't have any siblings? You never talk about your family."

  
 _I ran away from them. They must hate me. I can't go back._ Blake silenced her inner voice with an effort, and said, lightly, "Not much to tell. My father is Ghira, my mother is Kali. They worked for Faunus Rights, then settled in Menagerie. That's all there is." _It's not, stop lying to your friend._

  
"Well, you've met Ruby, and Dad and Uncle Qrow will probably visit at some point. Oh, and Zwei. He's our dog. Cute as a butt." Blake raised a finger and opened her mouth, but Yang cut her off. "I know what I said. Zwei can be a real terror, but he's cute, and he knows it, so he can get away with it." She pushed a button on Bumblebee's console, and a panel popped open. "Helmet?"

  
Blake passed over her helmet, and let Yang maglock the helmets to Bumblebee. She started digging through the saddlebags, pulling out the food they'd gotten at that cute market run by the nice Faunus couple. "Yang? I need your arms, when you're done."

  
"Who wouldn't want these guns?" Yang flexed at her. The effect was spoiled by her thick yellow jacket, but Blake got the point.

  
As she piled various foodstuffs in Yang's arms, she thought, _Why didn't I put that collapsible basket on top? Stupid, stupid, stupid._ At last, she dug it out, pushed the button to uncollapse it, and got all the food put in it. "I'm getting hot. Can I leave your jacket with Bumblebee?"

  
"Yeah, sure." Yang held the basket in one hand, and the flap of the saddlebag open with the other.

  
Blake slid out of the heavy black jacket, and stuffed it into the bag, suddenly self-conscious of how much she had been sweating.

  
"Is that a new top?" Yang looked at her black crop-top, with diamond cut-outs. "I don't think I've seen it before."

  
"You're the first to see me in it. Bought it last week with Pyrrha and Nora. You were working on Bumblebee."

  
"Yeah, installing that maglock, and doing seasonal maintenance." Yang looked at the long line of cars pulled up across the road. "I still don't know why they're all here, but I guess they're not going to go away any time soon. Want to head down?" She offered her friend the picnic basket.

  
Blake took it, watching as Yang pulled her own jacket off and slung it over her shoulder. _Ummm. Wow._ "Forget your shirt?"

  
"Nah, it's a beach, isn't it? You wear swimsuits at beaches." Yang pointed at her bikini top. "This is a swimsuit. I notice you're not wearing one."

  
"Don't need a swimsuit if you're not going swimming."

  
Yang laughed, started off downhill into the trees, towards the coast. "But Blaaaaaaake, won't you come save me if I start drowning?"

  
"Nope." Blake said, rolling her eyes.

  
"Will you at least give me the Kiss of Life if I manage to drag myself to shore, and collapse in the surf, half-drown?"

  
Blake considered, then shook her head. "Nope."

  
Laughing, Yang asked, "What if I just want a kiss before I go swimming?"

  
_Oh no. Oh no, is she flirting with me? Am I flirting with her? I like Yang, but do I **like** like her, or just like as a friend? I don't want to have another talk like I had with Ilia. That one hurt. I never want to do that again. Even if I did maybe like her as more than a friend. But I was with-_

  
"Wow, did I just short-circuit you?" Yang had turned around to face her, and there was more concern in her eyes than her words.

  
Blake shook her head to clear it. "Sorry, got lost there for a second."

  
Yang snorted. "Blake, there are maybe twenty trees between here and the road. If you can get lost here, you could get lost between our dorm's door and our bunk bed."

  
Forcing out the chuckle that Yang's weak joke merited, Blake pricked her ears. "Hey, do you hear that? Sounds like music. It's coming from the beach."

  
"Oh, pants. Don't tell me they're _loud_ secret-beach-intruders." Yang turned back around and kept heading down.

  
Blake followed her, free arm extended to balance the picnic basket. _I recognize that tune._ She lowered her voice and hissed at Yang. "Yang, Yang, slow down."

  
"Why? I want to see these jerks, and give them an earful." She kept stomping downhill.

  
"Yang, stop for a second." Blake darted ahead, and laid a hand on Yang's shoulder. "Listen to the tune."

  
She huffed, folded her arms, and listened. "Really? A wedding? Here?"

  
"You said it was a beautiful beach. That's probably the processional, and the bride is heading down the aisle, and there are dozens of cameras on her. I don't want to be in the background of some couple's wedding photos."

  
"They're the idiots getting married on the beach. They've got to expect random people to walk through." Yang was wearing her stubborn face, half-sunk into a fighting stance, braced and ready.

  
Blake tried very hard not to sigh loudly in her friend's face. "Yang, _I_ don't want to be there." She was relieved to see Yang catch her emphasis, and relax out of her muleish mood.

  
"Oh. Yeah, okay." She thought for a moment. "The beach sort of juts out just south of here. If we go there, we'll be too out of focus to show up as anything but blurs. Is that okay?"

  
"Yes, that will be fine." Blake gave Yang a quick hug around the neck. "Lead the way."

  
They picked their way through the trees for a few minutes in silence. Yang paused, peering through the trees towards the shore. "Okay, that should be good. Want me to check?"

  
Blake concentrated for a second, listening. "The music's stopped, so they're probably starting the ceremony itself. We should be good, even if we need to make a bit more distance."

  
"Good, because I'm getting hungry. Must be past noon already." Yang pulled out her scroll and checked, as Blake stopped next to her. "Just barely, but yup. Time to eat."

  
"Want to find a place to set-up?" She offered Yang the basket, who took it, shoving her jacket through the loop of the handle.

  
"And miss your first sight of this place? No way. Actually." Yang paused. "Want to close your eyes? I can lead you through the last bit of woods, and you can see the whole thing at once."

  
 _I don't like this. I trust Yang. I don't trust anyone. Even Yang. Yang is my friend. I can trust Yang. I **will** trust Yang._ "Sure." Blake closed her eyes, and fought down her inner voice.

  
"Okay, here's my arm." Blake felt Yang's elbow bump into her arm, and she grabbed onto it with both hands, settling into tight grip wrapped around her friend's upper arm. _No wonder she hits like a truck. She could probably lift one. Without her Semblance._ "And, going forward, still a little bit downhill, but leveling out."

  
The two of them picked their way carefully, Blake working hard to stay relaxed. _It's Yang. Yang will catch me if I fall. Yang is safe. I am safe. Breathe in, hold it, breathe out._

  
"Hey, hold up a second. The ground is really broken up here."

  
"Oh." W _hat a shame, I'll have to open my eyes and let go of Yang. I like holding onto Yang._ "What do you want to do?" _I trust Yang._

  
"Probably easiest if I just pick you up and carry you the rest of the way. I don't know what happened, but there are sharp rocks from here to the beach."

  
Blake took a deep breath. _Yang won't drop me. I trust her._ "Okay. What do you want me to do?"

  
"One second, let me just set the basket down. ... So, I'm going to just get underneath you, and put my arm around your knees. When I say so, just sit down on my shoulder. Then I'll stand up, and that's it."

  
"If you say so."

  
Yang chuckled. "I mean, if that's too complicated for you, I can just sweep you off your feet and bridal carry you to the beach."

  
Trying hard not to blush, and failing miserably, Blake said quietly, "No, that's okay. Let's go with your first plan."

  
"Okay. Let go of my arm." Blake did so, and heard the creak of Yang's motorcycle pants as she crouched down. She felt Yang's arm wrap gently around her legs. "Alright, go ahead and sit." She did, squirming a bit to find a comfortable perch. "Aaand up we go."

  
"Just make sure I don't run into any branches."

  
"Gotcha. We're in the clear. Just a bit farther." Yang stopped. "Okay, here we go. I'm going to set you down, and maaaaaaaybe take video of your reaction to opening your eyes."

  
"So long as I can look at it too. And it doesn't get posted anywhere." Blake sat up from Yang's shoulder.

  
"Your face, your rules. Okay, look this way." Blake turned in the direction of Yang's voice. "Scroll all ready."

  
Blake opened her eyes. It was a beautiful beach, Yang hadn't exaggerated that. Brilliant, almost unreal white-gold sand, the sunlight shining off the waves peaks as they rolled in, the ocean breeze rolling in and making her hair dance. The sea was a gorgeous deep blue, contrasted by a pale blue sky with only a few white scraps of cloud in it. _Wow_.

  
"That was great!" Yang bounded up from where she'd been crouching, leaning in next to Blake, and hit replay on her scroll. Blake saw the joy spread across her face, and almost didn't recognize herself. "What do you think, can I keep it?"

  
"Sure."

  
Yang beamed at her. "We got lucky, too. The wedding is set up on the north end of the beach, so they didn't spoil the view." She pointed off the side, and Blake saw a good-sized crowd sitting in folding chairs in neat little rows, and a group of well-dressed folks standing up in front of them.

  
"That's good. Were you still hungry?"

  
"You bet!" Reaching down to the basket, Yang pulled out the traditional red-and-white chequered blanket and spread it out on the sand. "Okay, so - sandwich fixings - chips - veggies -" She laid out the items on the blanket, pausing to tear open the top of the veggie tray, and snag a piece of celery. "Drinks - cups - aaaaaaand plates!" Yang peeled off the top one and held it out to Blake. "Have a seat, and dig in."

  
Blake settled herself on one side of the blanket, with the food between her and Yang. Yang had her boots off, and was happily kneading the sand with her toes. The next while passed as they filled their plates, assembled sandwiches, and started eating.

  
Yang took a bite of her meat-heavy monstrosity, then stopped mid-chew, slapping her forehead. She hastily finished her mouthful, then said. "I forget to make the drinks! Here, pass me the cups." She set her own plate down and grabbed the collection of bottles. "Okay, orange juice - strawberry liquor - grenadine." Yang passed the drink back to Blake, a blossom of pink billowing up from the bottom. "One strawberry sunrise, miss. Usually, there's a whole strawberry garnish, but-" She shrugged. "Out in the field, we have to make do."

  
Looking down at her drink, Blake asked, "How boozey is this, anyway?"

  
Yang finished making her own strawberry sunrise, and took a sip. "Depends on the liquor. It's sneaky, in any case, but I went light on the alcohol for you. It's just a small bottle of liquor anyway, since I didn't want to leave it here, and we can't drive with it open. And pouring it out would just be wasteful."

  
"It's good."

  
"Glad you like it. The dregs can get a little strong, but I'm usually in a fight before I get to that point."

  
 _I worry about you._ "Yang, really?"

  
"I'm a fighter, not a drinker. Now, Uncle Qrow, he's a fighter and a drinker, so he has to make difficult choices. I just drink until the fight starts."

  
"Yang." _Please stop._

  
Yang took another sip. "I really do love this place, you know."

  
Blake, mid-sandwich, just nodded. Her ears perked up as music drifted down the beach to them. Yang stiffened a bit when she heard it too, but just loudly crunched veggies for the next couple of minutes.

  
"The neighbors kind of suck," Yang said, waving a carrot stick in their general direction. "But the sand is nice, the waves are friendly, you're great - and that top is going to give you interesting tan lines."

  
 _Is she going to be looking at my tan lines? Do I want her looking at me like that? ...Maybe. I don't know if I'm ready._ Blake took a long drink from her strawberry sunrise. Silence fell, apart from the wind and waves, and the odd drifting noise from the wedding. They finished eating, and packed the trash into whatever containers were handy, and stuffed all of it back into the basket.

  
"Want another drink, Blake?"

  
"Maybe in a bit. Want to walk around a bit?"

  
Yang leaned onto her back, and started wriggling out of her pants. "Sure. I just want to be able to throw myself in the ocean. Even if you won't come rescue me. So much for that plan." She grinned widely. "Do you not like swimming at all, or just the ocean?"

  
"I did not have a good time learning to swim. It-" Blake paused, trying to navigate a minefield of memories and secrets. "It was for a mission in my old life. We had to swim in, staying underwater the whole time. Even with rebreathers, being underwater that long, in that murky river..." She shuddered.

  
Yang reached over, and touched her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" She stopped, visibly weighing her words. "We can make some better swimming memories for you on a different trip, if you want."

  
Blake laid her hand over Yang's. "Thanks, Yang. We can think about that later."

  
"Okay, beach-walking, here we come. You gonna keep your boots on?"

  
"No, I don't think I'll really get the full experience if I do."

  
Yang stood up. "That's the spirit!"

  
They meandered over the beach, turning over interesting sea shells, enjoying the contrast of the blazing hot sand and the cool wet sand, watching birds glide overhead, listening to the pounding of the surf. They saw what could have been a whale-spout, further out to sea.

  
"Oh, looks like they're wrapping up. Good. I wondered how long they could go on." She gestured vaguely at the wedding.

  
Blake watched one tuxedo-clad man sweep another off his feet and give him an extravagant kiss, to general applause and cheering. "Well, the important people look like they're having fun."

  
"Gross, romance." Yang pulled a face. "And before you ask, I read your romance novels purely as a smut-delivery vehicle. And they have good fights."

  
Laughing, Blake rolled her eyes. "Okay, Yang, whatever you say. It must have been someone else crying over the ending of _The Sais of Passion_ , then."

  
"I was only crying because it was over! I really liked that one. It had excellent close-quarters combat descriptions! And anatomically plausible smut!" Yang turned away from her, to face the waves.

  
Blake put her arms up on her friend's shoulders. "Don't stop there. What else did you like?"

  
"Uhhh. The fine-grained characterization of the leads. The broad, yet relatable depictions of otherwise stock characters." Yang sighed, and added, in a voice Blake almost didn't catch. "The tragic end of their romance."

  
"And?"

  
"The torrid middle of their romance, and the fumbling first steps of their romance. Okay, okay, you got me. I like _some_ romance." They stood there for a moment, Blake basking in the glow of victory.

  
"Okay, I'm going to go for a swim, and try to wash your smug satisfaction off. You be okay on the beach by yourself?"

  
Blake pulled a slim blue book out of her pocket. "I've got Sapphire FitzBattleaxe to keep me company. Have fun in the water." She sat down and opened her book as Yang whooped and charged into the waves.

  
She read:  
'The moon is set. And all her fragments.  
It's the middle of the night.  
Time passes.  
But I sleep alone.'

  
_Me too, Sapphire. But I don't want to rush into anything. I'm not going to jump into bed with someone I don't trust completely just because I'm feeling a little lonely._

  
'Love  
Giver of pain...'

  
_I know. Moon and stars, I know._

  
'Again love, the limb-loosener, rattles me  
bittersweet,  
irresistible,  
a crawling beast.'

  
_But still I fight it. I fight monsters, outside my head or in. I love because I choose to. I let myself love when I choose to._

  
'"Virginity, virginity  
Where will you go when you've left me?"  
"I'll never come back to you, bride,  
I'll never come back to you."'

  
_Damaged goods. Who would want a Faunus like me? One that's been ruined like I have? If anyone seemed like they did, they hadn't seen the real me yet._

  
'When you lie dead, no one will remember you  
For you have no share in the Muses' roses.  
No, flitting aimlessly about,  
You will wildly roam,  
a shade amidst the shadowy dead.'

  
Blake blinked away tears, trying not to believe. She hurried on to the next poem. _Breathe in, hold it, breathe out._

  
'I desire  
And I crave.  
You set me on fire."

  
She looked up, searching for Yang in the waves. She caught sight of her, standing waist-deep, long hair slicked flat with water, and thought she heard laughter as a wave crested and slammed down on top of her. Yang shot back to the surface in the wake of the wave, hair bright. Blake smiled, and turned back to her book.

  
'I love the sensual.  
For me this  
and love for the sun  
has a share in brilliance and beauty.'

  
"Blake?" The voice came from behind her, and Blake spun quickly to her feet, stance low, ready to move. Then dropped out of it when she saw who it was.

  
"Weiss? What are you doing here?"

  
Weiss Schnee gestured at her light blue sundress. "The wedding, obviously. What are you and Yang doing... here?" She trailed off, looking over Blake's shoulder.

  
Blake turned back around, seeing Yang stride out of the waves, dripping wet, hair ablaze with the sunlight at her back. _Pretty. Sapphire was right, but the sun and the sensual are one for me._

  
"Yang!" Weiss' scandalized voice rose behind her. "What you wearing? Not wearing! You're barely wearing anything."

  
"Weiss? What are you doing here?"

  
She stamped her foot. "Can't anyone answer my questions with something other than a question?"

  
Yang grinned, squeezing water out of her hair. "I dunno, can we?"

  
Blake picked up on the game, and looked over her shoulder at Weiss. "I'm sure we can, but will we?"

  
Putting her hands to the side of her head, Weiss said, "Why me?"

  
Blake stepped forward, and patted her silk-clad shoulder. "If not Weiss Schnee, then who?"

  
Barely keeping her laughter in check, Yang padded up onto dry sand towards them. "Who else could measure up?"

  
"Okay, if I say you've won, will you please go back to your side of the beach? I'm here as the Schnee family representative, and I don't want to be responsible for wedding crashers. Especially nearly naked ones."

  
Yang asked, "Have we won?" She stood next to Blake, draped an arm over her shoulders. Weiss averted her eyes.

  
"Okay, Yang. That's enough. Nice to see you, Weiss, even if you did crash our secret beach." Blake spun around to head back to their picnic site, turning Yang with her.

  
She stamped her foot, calling after them. "We've been here since ten in the morning! You're the crashers here, not me!"

  
Yang waved behind her without looking. "Bye, Weiss!" They walked away, back down the beach, arm in arm. "Why is that so much fun?"

  
"Don't ask me, I messed with the Schnee family for years. It's a laugh riot." _Either you live to laugh about it, or you die. Well, still laughing. Take that, Schnees._

  
"I think I'm going to take a nap. That last wave was a cruncher." Yang rolled her shoulders, drawing Blake's eyes downward, where very interesting things were happening. "I'm going to feel that in the morning."

  
"Want to mix me another drink first?"

  
"Sure. I'm switching to water, though. I figure, I have my nap, we look around a bit more, and then head back."

  
Blake nodded. "Sounds good." They walked a few more steps. "Hey, Yang?"

  
"Yeah?"

  
"I had a lot of fun today. Thanks."

  
Blake heard, more than saw, Yang's grin. "Sure. Maybe next time, we'll have the beach to ourselves." She elbowed Blake. "We could go skinny-dipping."

  
Blake could feel her face coloring.

  
"Or we could just start with splashing around, and save the naked splashing around for the time after that."

  
"That sounds better."

  
Yang tugged Blake a little closer. "We've got time. Just set the pace, and I'll keep up." _Too much, too fast, Yang, I want to trust you, Yang, please, don't push me too hard._

  
Blake was struggling for words, and realized she already had an answer. She flashed a thumbs-down, their signal on Bumblebee for 'Slow down, you're going too fast.'

  
Seeing it, Yang let Blake go, and took a step to the side. "Still want that last drink?"

  
Blake paused, considering. "Sounds good. Wouldn't want to waste it."

  
"Okay, then. Drink, nap, walk, back on the road. Home in time for dinner, probably. Sound good?"

  
"Yeah. I want to read you some poems before we leave, though."

  
Yang laughed. "Poetry on the beach! I'm down." They walked on, side by side. "Thanks for coming with me, Blake. I needed this."

  
"What, the beach? The waves?" _Me?_

  
"All of it. Time to relax, to think. To be alone." Yang stopped, back-pedaled. "I mean, alone with you. Not with people I have to take care of. ...This isn't coming out right."

  
Blake nodded. "No, I think I understand it. Being independent. Being able to stand by yourself, even if there are other people there."

  
"Yeah. ..Okay, here we go." Yang lowered herself to the blanket, and quickly mixed up another strawberry sunrise with the last of the liquor. She handed it off to Blake, and started in on a bottle of water. Blake sat down, pulled out her book, paging through to find her place. Yang laid down, hands folded behind her head. "Poke me in half an hour to make me turn over, alright?"

  
"Alright." Blake started reading again.

  
'I love the sensual.  
For me this  
and love for the sun  
has a share in brilliance and beauty.'

_I'm trying, Yang. I just don't know if I can survive getting burned again. But I'm going to keep trying to love the sun._

**Author's Note:**

> The poetry is all from Sappho's fragments, translated by Julia Dubnoff.


End file.
